Dolans Set to Lose $16 Million in 2009
August 6, 2009While We’re Waiting… LeBron Talks Summer, Shaun Rogers Runs, Cliff Lee Moves to 2-0
August 7, 2009So, apparently while he was draining off-balance threes in Ben Wallace’s eye during last year’s ECF, Orlando Magic forward Rashard Lewis was taking “supplements” that fall under the NBA’s do-not-do list.
Mike Bianchi – he of the incessent LeBron James hate last season – reports that Lewis will be suspended for the first 10 games of this coming season because he has tested positive for the testosterone-producing steroid. Lewis’ camp is claiming that they were unaware of the substances illegality.
Obviously, this won’t help any bitterness felt by Cavs fans regarding the outcome of last season. Of course, the 10-game suspension will not have much bearing on the 2010 playoffs, but it should have at least some impact on Orlando’s overall record and potentially effect their standing come playoff time.
35 Comments
Well, that explains all those falling-out-of-bounds 3-pointers, doesn’t it?
I KNEW he wasn’t that good! That really burns my a-double-snakes even more knowing that CHEATER helped knock out the Cavs.
I never realized how little Wallace contested that shot. He will be missed.
Rex Hadnot blew out his knee at practice today. So we have that.
10 games doesn’t seem like much, but that’s a good 12% of the season they’ll have to play without him. Should help Boston and Cleveland a little bit.
I guess I’m confused as to how useful standard PED’s in basketball are…
…I guess they do more than I thought they would.
im seriously furious about this
what a joke
how creative.
So the 2007 Indians lost because they couldn’t get Manny and Papi out and the 2009 Cavs lost because Rashard Lewis played at a level well beyond what he’d shown throughout the rest of his career.
It certainly makes you wonder why you allow yourself to pour so much emotion into all of this.
How much you want to bet the league knew about this before the playoffs?
“How much you want to bet the league knew about this before the playoffs?”
Similar to how Manny/Papi were on the “list” but it was Paul Byrd who had his name come out before the Game 7 start? I really don’t want to put Stern and Selig in the same boat, but it wouldn’t shock me…
Yeah, it does have that odd smell (stench) of “feel good story” written all over this one.
Did Manny suddenly discover steroids in Boston? Does everybody assume Thome, Hafner, Belle, Baerga, etc. were clean?
Nothing shocks me re: steroids. Let’s not get too upset, lest we hear some news about another unnaturally muscled incredibly-agile-despite-his-size basketball player.
In case anyone hasn’t checked yet.. Cavs play in Orlando game #9 of the 2009 Magic campaign. Every little bit helps towards homecourt in the east next year.
@ Clown – that would be b/c Dwight Howard set a walking screen and then physically held Wallace…
I’m not bitter or anything though.
Ben may as well tie Rashard’s shoe laces together while he’s down there, I loved Ben but I’m pretty sure he’s on his way down in that picture and Rashard is still going up.
@10
the NBA didn’t know BEFORE the playoffs because both tests happened during the playoffs (according to the article)
he failed a test during the playoffs and requested a 2nd test which he took during the Finals.
Dudes, relax! There’s no possible way he hit that shot cuz he was on something. Basketball just doesn’t work like that. Also don’t forget that we had home court this past year and still got beat.
Would steroids help endurance? You know, for hitting clutch late-game 3s when everyone else is wearing down?
But I do agree with #13 Ben: it’s pretty much impossible to know that our own heroes aren’t taking some sort of PEDs.
Most athletes don’t actually take the steroids to get stronger, they use them so they can train harder and recover faster from workouts. it can also help to recover more quickly from an injury.
All those things would be important in any sport.
@18 From ESPN Article
“He was hurt late in the regular season, missing the final three games with right knee tendinitis, then returned to average 19.0 points in the playoffs to help lead the Magic to the NBA finals.”
You’re right steroids had no effect…
It’s easy to pile on, but I wouldn’t be too quick to. You just never know who’s using and who isn’t, and it could be a Cleveland name that comes out next. This stuff is all over the place. Besides, how many teams did the ’90s Indians beat thanks to performance enhancers?
@22… not the two that mattered
this really isnt surprising to me…I knew he was good, but I didnt think he was THAT good…he hit a lot of amazing shots late in games, and this would definitely explain it…
I would say the “endurance” comment holds a lot of weight. The Cavs always came out and pounded the magic in the first half, then in the second when they were getting tired, PED Lewis showed no signs of fatigue and proceeded to go off night after night.
I can’t wait to heckle the crap out of him when they come to Cleveland – what a moron…I hate cheaters…
I love the people out there who claim that steroids wouldn’t have made the difference for Lewis. I’m sure he violated league rules and risked 1.6 million dollars and a 10 game suspension for the sake of humoring himself.
I dont think he “risked” anything to be honest…I think he did it knowing full well what it was doing and wanted to win…the pseudo-remorseful comments he has made now are just the typical load of horse crap that any cheater that gets caught will spew out…no one ever feels bad BEFORE they get caught…just ask Manny and Ortiz…
What do you mean he didn’t risk anything? He risked getting caught, being punished, and tainting their playoff run. Which he did.
You don’t think losing $1.6 million is a risk to Lewis? I don’t care if his contract pays him $120+ million….that’s a legitimate financial hit.
he didnt risk anything because hes a multi-millionare and was doing anything to win…thats not risking anything…they suspeneded him for 10 games at the beginning of the season…woop-de-doo…
risking something to me is playing basketball and rolling your ankle in the offseason when youre a football player…or crashing your motorcycle…those are risks…
this, to me, was just pure egotism and wanting to win at any cost…he did it knowing what it would do for his performance, but didnt care…the PED’s in the NBA are not as common as in other sports, and to me, it just seems like he was doing it without caring…he knew he would get away with it…as is evident by the fact that it hasnt came out until 3-4 months later…
and as far as the financial hit, owning a team that makes however many million dollars a year, lets say 120 million a year, and loses 16 million is ok then? i realize that it isnt exactly the same, but just curious as to what people think about that…
if youre a player who makes money playing a sport, losing 1.6 million is a big deal, but someone who owns a team and loses 16 million in a year is considered to be cheap?
This sucks, he’s a cheater and it likely made all the difference in the world in that series. At any rate however, Turkey-glu has yet to be indicted for the same and maybe Mo Will and lonte need tested for performance deminishing drugs.
As for our local heroes on ‘roids, you can not convince me the 07 Indians run was not steroid fueled…Hafner, Carmona- useless since- were stars in this run.
How can you stop this though? Test everybody, everyday? Test nobody ever and allow these things?
Every now and then I have read comments on various sports sites unflattering comparisons between MLB and professional wrestling, on account of the PED’s. I used to dismiss the comparisons as too much of a stretch. My attention, however, is heightened by the outing of Lewis (NBA, of course). The NBA is probably taking a page out of MLB’s playbook and will begin dribbling out a new name every six months.
I am losing interest.
Mo Will and lonte need tested for performance deminishing drugs.
Classic!
Guys he took DHEA. I could walk into any supplement store and buy DHEA and take the whole bottle and not feel a thing. It doesn’t do *hit. Really. It’s nothing. Read up on it if you care to do so. The Cavs lost because they got their butt handed to them, no because of DHEA.